By Sallieu S. Kanu
Thousands of supporters of the All People’s Congress (APC) on Friday, June 9, 2023 welcomed the party presidential candidate Dr Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara and his Vice Presidential Candidate Hon. Chernor Ramadan Maju Bah to the district.
Speaking to the party supporters at the Koidu Town Field, the APC Presidential Candidate said, “Kono will always matter to the APC, but we should stop the mischief of saying this only when elections are round the corner.”
He reminded the people of Kono about the major developmental projects the APC took to Kono District under former President Ernest Bai Koroma, such as the Matotoka – Kono highway, the 20-kilometer Koidu City roads, energy and water projects and the US$53 million University of Science and Technology project.
When elected, Dr. Samura Kamara said, his government will introduce a special development programme for Kono that includes connecting the hard- to- reach chiefdoms to Koidu, the district’s city.
With a huge agricultural potential, Dr Samura Kamara believes it is high time Kono refocuses on agriculture, adding that his government will introduce an industry led growth to ensure that Kono takes its rightful place as a major economic zone in Sierra Leone. “Kono matters to APC and our marriage to Kono is everlasting,” Dr Samura said.
He also encouraged the youth and women to be patient and informed them that his government will set aside a special fund to support women and the youth to help their businesses grow and to start up a business.
Dr Kamara said, “University dropout rate has increased under this administration because of fees. More people are also unable to enter university upon completing high school because of fees. Under my administration, no youth will leave college or will be prevented from continuing tertiary education because of fees. We will support them to enter and complete their tertiary education.”
He encouraged APC stakeholders in the district to forgive each other and put aside their individual grievances for the sake of the party. “This is no longer just about the APC; it is about Sierra Leone. Today prices of basic commodities have skyrocketed. There is too much suffering in the land, so we need a change…,” the APC standard-bearer said.
Releasing a gentle smile, Dr Samura Kamara praised the APC supporters for their peaceful conduct and bemoaned the action of the Sierra Leone Police who fired teargas canisters to prevent supporters from passing through the main Koidu city center, which was blocked by security forces.
Dr Samura Kamara visited the APC strong woman, Diana Konomanyi whose home was recently gutted by unknown assailants. He extended his deepest sympathy to Diana through her brother and promised to give her every support to ensure the house rises again. He shared his memories of the many visits he and members of the APC to that house, and condemned the act which he described as evil.
Prominent APC figures in Kono who came out to receive the APC Campaign team and made meaningful contributions about party unity and progress include former first lady Sia Koroma, Dr Kelfala Marrah, Ambassador John Yambasu and Logus Koroma.
Sierra Leoneans head to the polls on 24 June to elect a new president, parliamentarians, mayors and councillors.
Voting will be competitive. Incumbent president Julius Maada Bio of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), who seeks a second five-year term, is up against major contender Samura Kamara of the All People’s Congress (APC). In the 2018 elections that featured 16 candidates, Bio won by a slim majority of 51.8% of the total vote, to Kamara’s 48.2% following a runoff.